


5 Things Martin Does now that he has More Free Time

by Jenny_Starseed



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: 5 Things, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-15
Updated: 2012-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-29 14:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/320702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenny_Starseed/pseuds/Jenny_Starseed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin finally gets paid and has more free time, what does he do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	5 Things Martin Does now that he has More Free Time

Martin had worked for MJN Air for four years before Carolyn decided to pay him. Most people were surprised that Martin lasted at MJN for so long. But the long hours, the lack of time off, the abject poverty and lack of proper nutritional food were starting to take a toll on Martin. He no longer found any joy in flying for MJN Air, the unreasonable amount of unpaid hours while on standby and the constant stress of staying afloat financially was tiresome and frustrating. It was after Martin’s thirty-fifth birthday that Martin decided he had enough. He was ready to quit and find a new career that would allow him to eat something beside pot noodles and tinned beans. He gave Carolyn’s a month’s notice that he was going to leave MJN and three weeks, Carolyn decided to pay Martin. It was not a lot of money, but it was enough to give Martin a proper living wage.

A proper living wage meant that Martin did not have to as many hours to pay his basic bills, which brings us to the five things Martin does now that he has more free time.

 **One: He still drives his van, doing his job.**

Although he no longer needs to do his van job anymore, Martin can’t quite shake the feeling of financial insecurity. He takes on more van jobs, but is willing to charge five pounds more. The loss of desperation makes him feel he’s able to raise his prices a bit. He squirrels away the extra money as an Emergency fund. He’s gone for ten years in near poverty and his precautious feeling about money takes a long time to leave him. It’s another six months before he allows himself the luxury of having a day off in between flights, finding the free time jarring. He had lost touch with all his friends since he had no time for them, he had no hobbies outside of flying and generally did nothing but eat, sleep and work for four years. It took a bit of adjustment but eventually, he finds things to do.

 **Two: Local Sightseeing.**

He does sightseeing around Fitton. Sounds odd even to him. But the reality is that he never ventures anywhere beyond the airfield, his apartment and the various minor roads and highways he takes for his delivery van service. He tries the few ethnic restaurants Fitton has (he’s tried a kabob for the first time this week), visits the local pub, the local dog park or library. He goes on an occasional heritage walking tour when he has the time. In other words, he spends of the days walking around town, like a lost tourist.

 **Three: He visits his family more.**

He’s able to visit his mother more now that he’s doing better. He adores his mother and he never wants to worry her. He tries to have lunch or dinner at her house whenever he can. She gives him plenty of left-overs, just enough to finish before his next flight, after all, it was a terrible chore to clean out the fridge of rotting food. Now that he’s able to make ends meet, he doesn’t feel the need to hide from his mother anymore.

He becomes re-acquainted with his Simon, Caitlin and their respective children. Occasionally, he takes up some baby-sitting duties. Sometimes he takes the children to the park or local community center. He finds it relaxing to be around his nieces and nephews who were at an age where being a pilot (even a very much underpaid one) was very glamorous. It was heartening to be around those who thought innocently thought so highly of him, that he secretly starts to believe he’s a pretty damn good person as well. Caitlin and Simon are reluctant to criticize him in front of their children, their children needed a hero in their life and Uncle Martin gave them too much relief through free babysitting for them to be too critical. One shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds them.

 **Four: He takes up running.**

It calms his mind to run. Just forty-five minutes a day to get out for some fresh air. It has improved his sleeping and his mood. He finds that a morning run before a long flight calmed his nerves. His landings have improved and the extra endorphins from the run keep his impatience with Arthur and Douglas in check. During long periods of standby, he brings his running clothes and does a few laps outside of the airfield. He joins a local running group and has a pint with them afterwards. It’s a nice way to meet women and has even gone on a few dates. Low-key dates, but nothing serious. But it’s a start.

 **Five: Coronation Street with his agricultural student flat mates.**

He quite enjoys watching Coronation Street and/or EastEnders with his flatmates. Or any sort of television, whether it be big brother or Spooks. But he prefers the afternoon soaps like Corrie Street or EastEnders. No explosions, no special effects or complicated storylines. He likes the pleasant, steady flow of domestic dramas of small town England. He could have the company of his flatmates without talking much with them. They always had room on the couch for him and when he couldn’t see his nieces and nephews or it was too rainy to run or if there were no extra van jobs, he’d spend the night in watching countless hours of bad telly. He found that it kept him in touch with the world beyond flying without a lot of effort and it made it easier to ask for the occasional favour from his flatmates now that he spent a bit of time with them. After nearly 10 years of struggle and poverty, he was afforded a bit of small comfort in chunks and pieces of time between flights, life was too short to not take advantage of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a Cabin Pressure Prompt asking for random things Martin Crieff would do once he gets a salery from Carolyn and suddenly has free time on his hands.
> 
> I don't own any of the characters. They all belong to Mr. John Finnemore. Unbeta-ed and unbrit-picked.


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